So you’d think! 
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Well, there was that German pamphlet …
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I mean … that’s possibly more than many people who have Welsh as a first language…
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It’s just because…I remember seeing him in some programme whose title I can’t remember but I had really enjoyed it. I’m pretty sure he had been to Rockfield Studios, among other things, and I think talking about that and his accent somewhere with @siaronjames…well, one way or another, being able to understand him became one of my goals!
Also I used Gogglebocs a lot to prepare myself for the level Uwch exam, 
and I’m pretty sure it’s him doing the voice, isn’t it?
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yup, Tudur does the Gogglebox commentary 
I don’t know if Tudur has been to Rockfield Studios, but someone who has that I’ve mentioned to you before is Dewi Prysor, who has a different accent all together 
And for @christopher-14 and anyone who has spare time to spend here… 
my updated Main Resources list!
Courses/Methods (self-study)
- SSiW Level 1 and 2 South (Summer 2018) + Level 3 and whole Level 1 and 2 again (Summer 2019)
Note: I always kept among plans to do all the “Old Course”, the Automagic version and the Northern version too - but truth is that all I did was a few random lessons from those!
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SSiW Advanced content (from Autumn 2018) I think a lot of learners aren’t even aware that it exists because it’s a bit hidden in the website. And it’s a shame because in my opinion, that’s really great content especially for practising listening and reading, and learning colloquial expressions!
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Duolingo Welsh course (started in March finished in December 2020) I’m definitely more of an auditory learner, so doesn’t really suit my style, but gave me the basics in written Welsh
Chat groups and sessions
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Lessons/sessions with Richard Morse (Free) - tutor with Coleg Gwent Dysgu Cymraeg courses. They are presented as free live sessions for Duolingo learners because he’s one of the creators of the course, but they’re open to everyone and very varied (Free)
(I found and joined these after finishing Duolingo until I decided to join a year-long course with the same tutor)
- Sesiwn Sgwrsio Nos Fercher with Philippa Gibson (Free) - I don’t think she’s doing weekly classes at the moment, but has been tutor with Ceredigion provider for many years.
https://www.dysgu.com/2020/05/01/sesiwn-sgwrsio-nos-fercher/
- Learning Welsh with Mister D (Free material on YouTube, then you can get in touch for sessions, weekly homework, etc. He’s also a tutor of Dysgu Cymraeg courses somewhere in the Gogledd!!)
https://www.youtube.com/@zePOINTofzeDAY
I also occasionally joined other on line groups sessions (like Zoom at Noon The Saturday at Noon (UK time), Zoom! - #446 by ann-6
that’s still going on, I see - . And chats with other learners on Slack - info elsewhere in the Forum or ask!), and elsewhere - on line and in person when I visited Wales.
Other on line/self-learning (for listening skills especially, learning colloquial Welsh expressions and a bit of reading too) the two things I did since the beginning, and always find them very helpful and enjoyable!
- Watching all kinds of programmes on S4C Clic (alternating subtitles in English, in Welsh and no subtitles)
https://www.s4c.cymru/en/how-to-watch-s4c/
- Listening to songs while following written lyrics. I’m a super fan of Datblygu especially, but you can find lyrics of many different songs here:
Books (for reading skills, and a bit of grammar)
- “Modern Welsh Dictionary”, “Working Welsh” and “Thinking Welsh” by Gareth King
I’m not a grammar fan, but these are very helpful, and a great match with SSiW.
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Cadw Sŵn book/method https://www.cadwswn.com (I found reading very difficult at first after SSiW that was basically audio only! Then I found this very basic, but with audio files as well, and a few exercises to go along with the story and was really effective to get me started with reading)
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Novels & stories for learners (like “Amdani” series, but there’s several more from various authors and publishers)
Dysgu Cymraeg Classes
I’m not really a fan of classes and long courses, because I get bored easily, I pretty much always detested repetition, a slow pace like in most courses, too many brainy explanations and homework too.
If it wasn’t enough, with Welsh there’s an extra problem: in first levels classes (I think Mynediad and Sylfaen, but also often Canolradd I believe) all explanations are in English, which most of the time just add confusion to me!
I had tried a few lessons from different classes for a test, trying to figure out my level, mostly!
Then Richard Morse, from the Duolingo sessions invited me to try one of his classes in October 2021. It just happened to be Uwch 2 - rhan 2. I enjoyed it, and didn’t find it too challenging. So I stayed, and then joined the next class with the same group the following year Uwch 3 - rhan 1.
I even attempted the exam and passed it so then moved to Gloywi, always with Coleg Gwent provider and Antoni Morgan - who’s also a great tutor, and it’s a nice group. This is my current class, by the way!
Last but not least… (for speaking and listening but also for vocabulary and learning the structures of the language)
Full immersion time!
A few hours, one day, a weekend, a week…the more the better, but no matter how much time you have available, in my experience, this is the single thing that will make you jump to the next level (and then another level, and then another…).
It can be more informal (with friends and speakers willing to help - I’m so grateful to you all!) or more structured like these: Dates for 2025 released - Live Welsh Weeks / Wythnosau Byw’n Gymraeg 🥳 (Not SSiW) - #37 by nia.llywelyn
Ok, I hope this answers the question. Probably even too much…but oh, sorry it’s just so much fun for me, talking about this topic!
And I’m pretty sure I’ve forgotten something and there’s a lot more - if anyone wants to add something important I may have missed, please do! 
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Aaaah… you’re right! But did Dewi Prysor go to Rockfield studios? Maybe now I’m mixing names and programmes a bit!
In any case I sure did practise with Gogglebocs - so that’s what worked for Tudur Owen (and he sure was in other videos and programmes on TV and radio).
But now I have to check again, cause Dewi Prysor sure was another big challenge, and now I had forgotten about him. Was he the one from Blaenau Ffestiniog 'te? 
Yes, we filmed part of an episode of “Darn Bach o Hanes” there. And yes, he’s from Ffestiniog.
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Reit! So they were both filed together under “impossible Gogs” - but I lost track od Dewi Prysor at some point and now confused them while writing, but oh…I’ll have to go back to part 2 of the challenge, then!
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This is such a helpful link, thank you
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This is wonderful to be reminded of. It’s been such an extraordinary journey for you! I do hope that Catrin and I will get to see you in Caernarfon one of these days
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It is! 
I sure will be back in the Gogledd one of these days, and I hope to meet Catrin and you next time! 
(and @siaronjames for more roaming around and improve our understanding of Cofi ! )
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If exposure to Cofi accent is what you’re after, there’s a new series with Chris ‘Flamebaster’ Roberts starting on S4C tonight at 9pm - Llond Bol O Sbaen where Chris goes on an unforgettable journey, cooking and eating his way around Spain!
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Awesome recommendation - thanks! Combining two of my favourite things, food programmes and learning Welsh!
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Well that’s the weekend sorted!
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Just noticed the series (the one in Spain and another one! In Scandinavia if I remember it right) also mentioned in @sara-peacock-1 email), and I’ll start watching it this evening!
He’s great fun!
At the same time, alright practising tough gog accents, but need to make sure to compensate with something else set in the West and/or South before I get too influenced!
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Pam? 'Sgen ti wbath yn erbyn y Gogledd?
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Just let yourself be influenced. 
Pam lai? People move all over Cymru all the time and pick up bits of local speech patterns and pronunciation; there’s no need to aim for any “pure” regional version of Cymraeg.
Wel, 'sdim byd 'da fi yn erbyn yr acen(nau) 'na.
Mae amrywiaeth yn wych! Ond…
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in Italy there’s always a certain degree competition between regions and provinces. So it was natural to jump in the Hwntws vs Gogs competition, too. With humour of course!
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there’s no best or worst accent, but to be completely honest…I can’t help it…I don’t really really like the sounds of the Northern accents. Sorry, it’s just too weird per le mie orecchie italiane.
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at the same time the one and only reason for which I started learning Welsh is that I wanted to speak sounding like my favourite Sorcerer, bardd, canwr: David R. Edwards.
Therefore, @verity-davey, I do want to be able to understand as many accents as possible, I enjoy the challenge and it’s great fun listening to them all.
But o no no, my goal is still to be an honorary Cardi and nothing else!
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